McIntosh MX120 - do I need preamp for phono?

[KevinL]

Hi. I just got around to hooking up a turntable to my MX120. It’s almost inaudible. Do I need a preamp or is the phono section broken?

Thanks from Kevin

 

[the skipper]

Here's a copy of that unit's owners manual. all 82 pages.

http://www.berners.ch/McIntosh/Downloads/MX120_own.pdf

From what I can see, it doesn't include a built in phono pre-amp. Generally, if a unit doesn't have an input specifically labelled "phono", or some such, there is no internal phono pre-amp.

 

[Yamaki]

There's no phono pre-amp section or phono ground on the MX120. You'll need a separate phono pre-amp with RCA outputs.

 

[KevinL]

Thanks! I just hooked one up and voila.

 

[Yamaki]

sweet...

Enjoy!

 

[Audiofreak71]

On the manual in specifications it states the specs for the phono stage which is interesting and would appear that the unit does have a built in phono stage . All I can see on the back of the unit is PH/AUX .



Audiofreak71

 

[techguy0192]

There's no phono pre-amp section or phono ground on the MX120. You'll need a separate phono pre-amp with RCA outputs.

There's absolutely a phono section in the MX120 with a grounding lug. Moving magnet cartridges are supported. McIntosh, on this model and others, used a shared phono/line level input. Some are physically switch between line and phone, while some use a onscreen menu.

 

[twiiii]

I used and my son uses the phono input on the MX-120 I gave him. You need to bring up the menu that sets the options for the. input. You need to start reading the owners manual on page. 32 top of the right and column. It ain't easy at first, but with time and little effort and a lot of practice you will survive.

 

[c-atle-79bay]

How is the phone stage anyway?

 

[twiiii]

Its not pf the quality of the phono sections found in the separate pre-amps or higher priced integrated units. How ever it sounded great to me and I preferred to the pre-amp section in my C-34 much older pre-amp. Its not the Quality of my MP100, however.